Globally, the GEF’s chemicals and waste focal area serve as the financial mechanism for key multilateral environmental agreements, including the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
The GEF supports developing countries in phasing out and safely managing hazardous chemicals and waste, promoting the adoption of non-toxic alternatives, and strengthening national regulatory frameworks. A major global focus has been addressing mercury pollution from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), which is responsible for nearly 40% of global mercury emissions.
In Zimbabwe, the chemicals focal area is primarily driven by the urgent need to address mercury pollution from the ASGM sector a sector that employs over 300,000 people and contributes more than 40% of the country’s mineral exports. Alarmingly, 96% of artisanal gold mine sites in Zimbabwe use mercury, resulting in more than 24 tonnes of mercury being released annually. To tackle this, the GEF has launched the US$23.7 million planetGOLD Zimbabwe project, a five-year initiative implemented by UNEP and executed by the international non-profit IMPACT in close coordination with the Government of Zimbabwe. The project aims to support 7,500 men and women across 11 districts, reducing mercury use by 4.85 tonnes over the project period. Beyond mercury reduction, it seeks to formalise the artisanal mining sector, increase miners’ access to finance, and promote the adoption of mercury-free technologies and responsible, traceable gold supply chains.
The planetGOLD project is a direct response to Zimbabwe’s ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury in 2021 and supports the implementation of the country’s National Action Plan. In addition to mercury, the GEF has supported earlier enabling activities on chemicals management, including a US$499,000 project to develop Zimbabwe’s National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention on POPs. Past GEF-funded initiatives have also promoted organic food production, eliminating POPs and inorganic fertilizers from farming communities. Through these interventions, the GEF is protecting the health of mining communities, reducing environmental contamination, and helping Zimbabwe transition toward a safer, more sustainable chemicals management regime.
